Texas A&M
Texas Southern
Baseball Opens Regional Play with 5-0 Win Over Texas Southern
May 29, 2015 | Baseball
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Juniors Matt Kent and Andrew Vinson combined on the shutout as the No. 6 Texas A&M Aggies scored a 5-0 win over the Texas Southern Tigers in NCAA College Station Regional Friday evening on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. It marked the Aggies' first NCAA tournament shutout since a 3-0 shutout against Arizona to win the 2011 NCAA College Station Regional.
With the win, Texas A&M (46-11) advances to play the California Golden Bears, winners of a 9-3 contest against Coastal Carolina, on Saturday evening at 6:05 pm.
Kent (8-1) equaled a career-high with his nine strikeouts on the evening. He scattered six hits and one walk on the evening, keeping the Tigers prolific running game under control. Vinson mowed through 2.0 innings, retiring three with strikeouts and inducing a double play in the ninth to erase the only baserunner he allowed.
Nick Banks gave the Aggies a lead in the fourth inning when he delivered a full count offering into the visitors bullpen in rightfield for a two-run home run.
Texas Southern starter Ryan Rios (6-2) would keep the Aggies at bay for the remainder of his 6.2 innings of work. He was saddled with the loss allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out four.
The Aggies were able to take advantage of a couple Tigers errors in the eighth to add insurance runs. Mitchell Nau was hit by the first pitch of the frame and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Logan Taylor poked a fly ball to rightfield, but an error put runners on the corners. After Nick Banks was caught looking at strike three for the first out of the inning, Taylor stole second base. Hunter Melton dropped a Bermuda Triangle double down the rightfield line to plate Nau. Logan Nottebrok followed with an RBI single through the left side and an error on a grounder by Nick Choruby to second base plated Melton for the 5-0 lead.
Allemand, Banks, Melton and Nau each logged two hits for the Maroon and White.
With the loss, Texas Southern (31-18) moves to an elimination game against Coastal Carolina at 12 pm on Saturday.
Texas Southern (31-18)
Team Notes
- With the loss Texas Southern will face Coastal Carolina tomorrow at 12 p.m. in an elimination game.
- With the loss the Tigers fell to 0-15 all-time against Texas A&M.
- The Tigers finished with 12 strikeouts on the night, their 9th game this season with double-digits whiffs.
- Texas Southern finished 0-for-14 with runners on base and 0-for8 with runners in scoring position.
- After a first inning doubles the Tigers did not record an extra base hit for the remainder of the game.
Individual Notes
- Christopher Scroggins laced a double down the right field line in the top of the first inning, the junior has now reached base in 13 straight games with a base hit in each of the last four games.
- Robert Garza finished with a pair of singles against the Aggies, the shortstop now has 15 multi-hit games this season. DH Kameron Dukes also managed a pair of singles, his third multi-hit outing this year.
- Senior Zach Welz extended his on base streak to 15 games, current leader for the Tigers, reaching with a hit-by-pitch in the third and a walk in the sixth inning.
- Sophomore Ryan Rios was saddled with the loss (6-3) after allowing a pair of earned runs through 6.2 innings of work. The right-hander allowed eight base runners (7 H, 1 BB) on the day, striking our four after facing 28 batters on the evening.
- Relievers Seth Oliver and Larry Romero each tossed .2 innings to close out the Tiger's pitching efforts on the night. Oliver allowed a pair of hits and three runs (1 ER) while striking out two. Romero allowed a walk while facing four batters.
2015 NCAA Division 1 Baseball Championship
College Station Regional
Texas A&M 5, Texas Southern 0
Notes
Texas A&M (46-11)
Team Notes
- With the win the Aggies will face Cal tomorrow at 6 p.m.
- With the win Texas A&M improved to 15-0 all-time against Texas Southern.
- A&M pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts on the night, the Aggies 21st game with double-digit strike outs in 2015. Kent & Vinson combined for the 5th shutout this season.
- The Aggies improved to 26-0 against non-conference opponents this season and 22-2 in games decided by five-or-more runs.
Individual Notes
- With a single in the first inning, Mitchell Nau extended his hit-streak to five games, the longest current streak on the team. The Aggie DH stroked a double to right in the bottom of the fourth to give him 21st multi-hit game of the season, tying Banks for second most in the maroon and white and trailing just Blake Allemand (24) on the year.
- A fourth inning two-run homerun by Nick Banks was his 6th home run of the year and 43rd and 44th RBI in his sophomore campaign. The right fielder now has 10 multi-RBI games this season. Birk stroked a single to centerfield in his next plate appearance, giving him his 21st multi-hit game this season, tying Nau for second most on the Aggie roster and trailing just Blake Allemand (24) on the year.
- Blake Allemand joined the multi-hit party with a double in the third inning and a single in the seventh, the second-baseman now has 24 multi-hit games to lead the Aggie attack.
- Hunter Melton was the fourth Aggie with a two-hit effort against the Tigers, the first-baseman has 15 multiple hit games this season. The junior finished with a pair of RBI Friday night, his 10th multi-RBI on the year.
- With a 0-for-4 effort second-baseman Ryne Birk saw his 9 game hit streak come to an end.
- Starting pitcher Matt Kent threw 7.0 innings of scoreless baseball, the junior matched his career high of 9 strikeouts set against Texas Southern (March 5, 2014) and matched against Baylor (March 8, 2015). The lefty picked up the win to move to 8-1 as he allowed eight baserunners on the day (6 H, 1 BB, 1 HB), throwing 90 pitches on the day.
- Andrew Vinson struck out the side when he came on in the seventh inning, stranding the 22nd of 29 inherited runners this season. The A&M bullpen has allowed just 39-of-140 inherited runners to score this season. Vinson earned his 5th save of the season throwing the final 2.0 innings facing the minimum, the junior allowed just one hit that was erased with a double play.
